"You are not on a bike to die" - David Lappartient tackles hard questions as UCI falls under criticism over Muriel Furrer's death

The World Championships in Zurich have been marred by the tragic passing of Swiss Junior rider Muriel Furrer, who died following injuries sustained during a crash in the junior road race on Thursday. The 18-year-old passed away on Friday, leaving the cycling world in deep shock and sorrow.

UCI President David Lappartient addressed the sensitive matter in an interview with In De Leiderstrui, sharing his grief and reflecting on the impact of Furrer’s death.

“I feel very bad about it. When we organize a World Championship, it is the pinnacle of the cycling season. Also for the juniors, who are getting to know the World Championship for the first time. They are discovering the national team or a new country, which was not the case for Muriel. Muriel was an ambassador for this World Championship, so that makes it all very sad. You are not on a bike to die,” Lappartient said.

The UCI had planned several events to celebrate the championships, but Lappartient confirmed that the UCI Gala would no longer take place, stating, “If we organize a World Championship, we want to bring people together for cycling. Of course, such an accident has an impact, also on us as the UCI. We are now investigating the accident with all parties that can contribute, but it should be clear that there is no time for festivities such as the UCI gala. That is why we are not going ahead with it.”

Lappartient was questioned about whether Furrer’s tragic accident could lead to a review of the UCI’s policy banning radio communications in junior races. However, he was quick to point out that any conclusions at this stage would be premature.

“First of all, we don't know exactly what happened. The police are working hard to map out the circumstances of the fall, so we can't draw any conclusions about that at this time. That's why I don't want this fall to be used as an example for such conclusions, it's really too early for that now. We have to wait for the police investigation.”

Despite the incident, the decision has been made to continue with the World Championships, which has been supported by Furrer’s family. Lappartient added, “Through Swiss Cycling we have of course shared our condolences with Furrer's family in these difficult times. They support the decision to continue the World Championships in this way.”

The tragic loss of Muriel Furrer is the second death to hit Swiss cycling in just over a year, following the passing of Gino Mäder during the Tour de Suisse in 2023. These fatalities have intensified the debate around the safety of cycling, both in competition and in training.

“We're not in a football stadium, but the sport is played on public roads. Most crashes happen during training, but the crashes in competitions are of course more memorable. As a parent you're afraid to let your child ride a bike, so that's why it's important that more and more is invested in good cycle paths and the like. That's going in the right direction,” Lappartient noted.

He acknowledged that while significant strides have been made to improve rider safety, there are still challenges, particularly in urban areas. “Gino's crash was very tragic, but sometimes we don't know exactly what can happen. In his case, the roads were good, without any critical points. Safety has already improved, but there is still room for improvement. The difficult thing is that there is more and more traffic furniture, especially around big cities. That is meant to slow down cars, but in a peloton at high speed that is also difficult. If you lose concentration for a moment, you end up on the ground. So safety is not easy, but that is precisely why we want to work together with all stakeholders for a safer sport.”

The cycling world now faces the difficult task of continuing the competition in Zurich under the shadow of this tragedy. Muriel Furrer’s death has left a profound impact on the sport, and questions about safety will undoubtedly persist long after the 2024 World Championships conclude.